'Traditional Anglicanism' is a slogan often used by those on the conservative wing of the Communion: it is a slogan we ourselves want also to claim. We affirm the Gospel text surrounding the Anglican compass rose which proclaims 'The truth will set you free'. Liberation in truth requires an acknowledgement of the complexity of God's world. Anglicans should be more concerned with truth than with simplifided statements which are often offered in the interests of image. We reject the desire of those wanting centralised and universal pronouncements. We are concerned at the divisive way that sexaulity is being handled within the Anglican Communion. We are disturbed at the increasing intolerance of conservative elements of the Communion towards those of a more liberal persuasion. Anglican seek God's truth through a careful sifting of Scripture, tradition and reason. There is however a recent tendency for Scripture to be approached in a narrow manner without the balance of tradition and reason. This is not the Anglican way: it is time we came back to our Anglican roots.
We propose a vision of Anglicanism as a 'commonwealth' rather than as an 'empire'. We question the emerging belief suggested by The Virginia Report that universal authority 'is a necessary corollary of universal communion'. In the quest for clarity and certainty, this model of Anglicanism seems to propose a virtual magesterium. This is an inappropriate affirmation of hierarchy and a denial of lay insights and involvement. By contrast, the vision of Anglicanism as 'commonwealth' represents a valuing of differences as the process by which truth is forged and reforged in every age. Instead of statements, issued centrally and imposed universally, all Anglicans are invited to participate in an on-going conversation in which attentive listening, celebration of diversity and enjoyment of disagreement are the means by which discussion is progressed. Issuing simplistic statements might be the easiest response ot the complexity of discerning God's truth in this morally ambiguous world, but it is not, we would argue, the most graced one.
The foundations of Anglicanism are a fusing of Catholic and Reformed expressions of Christianity. Truth is many-sided, each aspect to be equally treasured. Within the Anglican tradition these sides will be variously expressed with different emphases in different places and times; traditional Anglican looseness is something ot be relished rather than something to be overcome. As Frederick Temple put it: "If the conclusions are prescribed, the study is precluded.' The Anglican genius is to promote the health and flourishing of these different facets of truth and to recognise that they complement and balance each other. The present danger is that some sides of this truth will be not only ignored but suppressed. Most notably, this has been found in the debates and resolutions on sexuality at Lambeth 1998. The exclusive use of biblical texts and the failure to listen to the experiences of those who are lesbian or gay have been extremely hurtful and damaging. These ways of living and loving have greatly enriched Christianity for centuries. The discussion at Lambeth failed to address contemporary knowledge about the nature of human sexuality.
We call on all Anglicans to provide a community which celebrates authentic conversation and to reject over-simplistic visions of faith. Christian hospitality is more important than glib statements of 'right' and 'wrong'. The world is complex. Truth-seeking is difficult. In living with diversity and witnessing to the elusive nature of truth, the Anglican Communion ought to be brave and self-confident.
* indicates the original four authors of the statement
Anthony Abbey -- Priest-in-Charge, All Saints, Doddinghurst, Diocese
of Chelmsford
*Peter Adams -- Diocese of Southwark
Elaine Appelbee -- Bishop's Officer for Church and Society, Diocese
of Bradford
Peter Atkinson -- Urban Ministry Adviser, Diocese of Oxford
Geoffrey Burdon -- Principal, Northern Ordination Course
John Cox -- Archdeacon of Sudbury, Diocese of St. Edmundsbury
and Ipswich
John Elford -- Pro-Rector of Liverpool Hope University College
Alan Cadwallader -- Lecturer in New Testament, St. Barnabas College,
Adelaide
Mark Chapman -- Ripon College, Cuddesdon, Oxford
Dennis Cavaghan -- Priest, St. Mary Magdalene, Taunton, Diocese of
Bath and Wales
David Driscoll -- Rural Dean of Epping Forest, Diocese of Chelmsford
Christopher Eliott -- Rural Dean of Horncastle, Diocese of Lincoln
Bill Faull -- Hospice Chaplain, Diocese of Chester
Pamela Faull -- Bishop's Council, Diocese of Chester
Janet Fife -- Anglican Chaplain, University of Salford
Michael Fox -- Archdeacon of West Ham, Diocese of Chelmsford
Peter Francis -- Warden of St. Deiniol's Library
Andrew Furlong -- Dean of Clonmacnoise, Diocese of Meath and Kildare
Malcolm Grundy -- Archdeacon of Craven, Diocese of Bradford
Joe Hasler -- Vicar, St. Andrew, Hartcliffe, Diocese of Bristol
Roger Haycraft -- Vicar, Holy Cross, Hornchurch, Essex
Nick Henderson -- General Secretary of Modern Churchpeople's Union
Philip Hesketh -- Vicar, St. Stephen's, Chatham, Diocese of Rochester
Colin Hickling -- Vicar, Sheffield
Richard Holloway -- Bishop of Edinburgh, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal
Church
John Howden -- Warden, Diocesan Retreat House, Pleshey, Diocese of
Chelmsford
David Hutt -- Sub Dean of Westminister Abbey and Archdeacon of Westminister,
Diocese of London
Robin Isherwood -- Vicar, St. Mary Magdalene, Alsager, Dioceses of
Chester
Eleanor Jackson -- Lecturer, University of Derby
*J'annine Jobling -- Lecturer in Philosophical Theology, Liverpool Hope
University College
Nerissa Jones -- Vicar, St. Chard's Wood End, Coventry
Daniel Lamont -- Head of Department of Cultural Studies, University
of Central Lancashire
Shannon Ledbetter -- Church and Community Development Officer, Liverpool
Hope University College
*Giles Legood -- London Diocesan University Chaplaincy
Simon Mason -- Vicar, Parish of the Divine Compassion, Plaistow, Diocese
of Chelmsford
*Ian Markham -- Professor of Theology and Public Life, Liverpool Hope
University College
Georginia Morley -- Director of Studies, NEOC, Durham
Ann Morisy -- Principal Community Ministry Adviser, London Diocesan
Board for Social Responsibility
George Newlands -- Professor of Divinity, University of Glasgow
Barry Orford -- Assistant Chaplain, University of Wales, Bangor
Simon Parkinson -- Vicar of Easthorpe and Upper Hopton, Diocese of
Wakefield
Nihal Paul -- Director of Voice of Children Foundation
Maretyn Percy -- Director of Lincoln Theological Institute, University
of Sheffield
Trevor Pitt -- Principal, NEOC, Durham
Andrew Piper -- Team Rector of Worth, Diocese of Chichester
Anna Prusmann -- Student Adviser, University of Salford
Donald Reid -- Anglican Chaplain, University of Glasgow
Alan Reynolds -- Vicar, St. Annes's, Moseley, Diocese of Birmingham
John Riches -- Professor of New Testament, University of Glasgow
Ian Robins -- Clergyperson, Diocese of Blackburn
Tinu Ruparell -- Lecturer in Theology, Liverpool Hope University College
Ton Shepherd -- Vicar, St. Peter's Harrogate, Diocese of Ripon
Tim Stratford -- Diocese of Liverpool
Paul Shackerley -- Vicar, All Saints' Chelmsford, Diocese of Chelmsford
Victor Stock -- Rector, St. Mary-Le-Bow, Diocese of London
Simon Tatton-Brown -- Team Rector of Westhoughton, Diocese of Manchester
Simon Tebbutt -- NSM, Diocese of Peterborough
Timothy Thompson -- Vice Provost, Chelmsford Cathedral, Diocese of
Chelmsford
Mark Walker -- Lecturer in Theology, Chester College
Alex Wedderspoon -- Dean of Guildford, Diocese of Guildford
Stephen Williams -- Vicar of Harlington, Diocese of St. Albans
Timothy Woods -- Teach Rector Brixham, Diocese of Exeter
Please sign my guestbook and
view it.
Statistics courtesy of WebCounter.